Page 18 of Wicked Grumpy Heart Doc

Her daughter rolled her eyes with a soft smile. “Not even close.” She reached for Dakota’s hand. “Seriously, Mom. I don’t know what we’d do without you.”

Dakota squeezed Chloe’s hand back. “Luckily, you’ll never have to find out. You’re stuck with me forever, kid.”

“I love you. You are the best mom ever.”

She pulled the younger girl in for a tight hug. “Aw, I love you, too. Andyouare a terrific mom.”

“I learned from the best.” They broke apart, and Chloe grabbed a grape from the bowl of fruit on the kitchen counter and popped it in her mouth. “Are you still planning on leaving in the morning?”

“That’s the plan. I’ll feed Barney before I go. Do you want me to bring him over?”

“No, we’ll come get him after we’ve had breakfast. And you’re going to the Cape?”

Dakota nodded. “I’ll leave the address on the counter.”

Chloe popped another grape into her mouth with a smirk. “Are there going to be any hot guys there?”

Dakota narrowed her eyes as she tried to picture it. “I think there will be. I’m getting there will be a few, actually.”

“Annnnd are you getting that any of them are single?”

She stared at the counter and saw an image of ringless fingers. Then a picture of Aiden, the guy she’d met in the parking lot at World’s End, flashed into her mind, so that confused her.

“I don’t know? I think so?”

“You know, you’re always saying I should ask the Universe for what I want. Maybe you should ask the Universe for a hot guy who’s nice and has a good job.”

“Why would I do that?” Dakota teased. “Then I’d have to feed him.”

“Well, that’s only after you fu—”

Dakota put her hands over her grandson’s ears. “Chloe Christine!”

Her daughter tried to alter course mid-sentence. “Yooou’ve dated a while.”

“I’m not interested in dating. I’m too busy for that.”

“Come on, Mom. Everybody needs companionship.”

She could get “companionship” without committing to dating. But obviously, she wasn’t going to tell her twenty-three-year-old daughter that about her mother.

“I’ve got my friends, my family, my business… I have a very fulfilling life I’m grateful for.”

“Don’t you want someone special? You’re always taking care of everyone else—don’t you want someone who will take care of you?”

“No.”

A long time ago, when Dakota was just starting to understand her visions, she’d gone to a mystic who told her men would only disappoint her. After a few attempts, she realized the woman was right, so she accepted she’d be single for the rest of her life.

Although, she had to admit, she wouldn’t mind some hot, sweaty sex, minus the relationship stuff. Maybe she would try to manifest that.

“Well, I want that for you, so Universe bring my mom a great guy who treats her right, makes his own money, and gives her mind-blowing Os.”

“I like Cheerios!” Asher chimed in.

“We all do, son,” Chloe told him while smirking at Dakota. “But there’s a special kind for grownups that Nana likes, so I’m putting it out into the Cosmos that she finds a nice boyfriend who will bring her some.”

“Can’t she just go to ALDI’s and get her own?”

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